'Indian Group of Seven' artist Daphne Odjig dead at 97

Canadian Indigenous painter and printmaker Daphne Odjig has died at the age of 97.

Theinternationallyrecognized artist had been in a long-term care facility in Kelowna, B.C. According to her son, Stan Somerville, her family was by her bedside at the time of death.

Vibrant voice

Odjig was born onWikwemikong First Nation,onManitoulin Islandin northern Ontario on Sept. 11,1919. She studied art formally in Ottawa, as well as in Sweden. Her work fused together the various cultures that influenced her life, often mixing Indigenous symbols and icons with European styles.

Her vibrant workhelped shapeCanadian historyby bringingFirst Nations voices and political issues into the mainstream, particularly during the1960sand '70s.

"The doors weren't open to us," Odjigoncesaid in a CBC interview,describing what it was like asan Indigenous artist starting out."So we had a reason to tell the people who we are and what we can do."

Odjig, together with artists such asAlexJanvierandJacksonBeardy, among others,organized shows and became known as The Indian Group of Seven.

"Daphne was the one who pulled us together," Janvier said in a statement. "Daphne had the vision torecognize that it was as a group we would be able to make a breakthrough with the art we weredoing. The art world in Canada was not accepting us at that time."

Her work, which has focused on different issuesthroughout the decades,has been shown in exhibitions throughout Canada and the U.S and has beenincluded in public collections in Ottawa andWinnipeg. She also was commissioned to work on projects in Japan and Israel.

"Odjig'swork is defined by curving contours, strong outlining, overlapping shapes and an unsurpassed sense of colour," the National Gallery of Canadawebsitesays.

'A continual circle'

She often credited her familyasan inspiration for pursuing an artistic careerand dedicated abook about her life,A Paintbrush in my Hand,to her grandfather, mother and father.

In a 1992 interview with CBC, sheexplained thatspirituality, identity and politics are all prevalent in her work, as are circular shapes.

"The circle of life, our whole life being is a circle," she said, describing why she used them."You're born, you evolve from one stage to another, derive the lessons into adulthood, it's a continual circle."

Daphne Odjig on her paintings

8 years ago

Duration 0:36

Late Indigenous artist Daphne Odjig describes what moves her to paint and how she hopes to inspire

For her achievements, Odjig receivedthe Order of Canada in 1986and the Governor General's Award in Visual Arts in 2007. That same year, she also became a Member of the Order of B.C.

Artist hoped to inspireothers

Her perseverancethrough discrimination based on her identity and gender helped pave the way for other Indigenous artists.

"I paint what comes from my heartwhat I feel and what I've experienced through life," she said."If there's any Aboriginal child around, I hope it motivates them that they too can accomplish what they want to be."

The artist wasawarded anhonouraryDoctorate of Law from the University of Toronto in 1985.

"All Indigenous artists, past, present and future,owe Daphne a debt of gratitude for helping us move our art from craft tables at flea markets intosome of the finest art galleries and collections in Canada," Janviersaid.

Her family is not planning a memorial butsays Odjig had suggested any donationsgo to the Kelowna SPCA.

She is survived by her son, stepson,grandchild, and a great grandchild.